The Test of Time
by The Shipper of Pairings
Summary: When she was younger, Lightning talked to a little boy named Zack, who promised to go to her one day. Now, Lightning starts finding herself dreaming and thinking of a person she hasn't seen in years, but could this have something to do with the sudden appearance of Sephiroth? Zack/Lightning With appearances from Fate, everyone's fave goddess!
1. Chapter 1

**The Test of Time**

**Pairing: Zack/Lightning, Hope/Vanille, Snow/Serah**

His name is Zack Fair. My name is Claire Farron. We've never met in person, we don't even live on the same planet, but when I learned who he was and what his story was, I started to fall in love. Then I met the actual person. But, I'm getting ahead of myself, aren't I? Well, I'll turn back the clock.

I never liked anyone, even when Fate handed me opportunities. There was Snow, but he's a moron and he's getting married to my sister. There was Sazh, but he got on my nerves. There was even Hope, but I'm too old for him. I just don't like anyone, is it that hard to believe? The only person, in my opinion, that deserves my love is Serah, but that's granted, she's my sister. Of course she will always get my love.

I've always been a loner, no matter what anyone has done. But... there's a reason for that. It's because I feel like I am waiting for someone else. Someone whom I talked to when I was very young...

'I was only 8, and already I was wandering the streets alone. Strange and irresponsible, right? Well, anyway, I walked into a weird little shop at the end of the street that everyone stays away from. I was feeling especially curious and brave that day. I went in and looked around, seeing that it was abandoned, so I turned to leave, but I knocked something off of one of the junk-cluttered counters. It was a delicately decorated orb, with twisting golden branches and blue bases. I picked it up, and suddenly it flashed.

I saw a little boy who was maybe one or two years older than me, with short midnight black hair and crystal blue eyes. He was on the ground, crouched down, looking at something. He muttered, "What is this ball thingy?"

So he found an orb like me. I was about to say something, but then I hesitated. Would he be able to hear me? Well... maybe...

I said, "H-Hello." I also growled at myself when I heard a stutter in my voice.

The little boy looked up and around, "Wow, I'm hearing voices! Awesome!" Could he see me like I can see him, or is he too stupid to figure it out? I frowned and said, "Down here." When he kept searching, I snapped, my patience wearing thin, "The orb stupid!"

"Oh! Ok, hold on voice-in-my-head." He bent down and grasped the orb, then he stood up. He proclaimed, proud of himself, "Wow, I think I see you! You are the little girl with white hair and blue eyes, in the pink sundress, right?"

"My hair is pink," I snap. He laughed, "Gotcha! So, what's your name?"

"Claire Farron," I say, staring him right in the eyes. My eyes then drift down to what he is wearing. A dirty white shirt, tan shorts, and tan work boots. He is also wearing heavy duty gloves on his hands. He must have been working on something before our little conversation happened.

He smiled and said, "My name is Zack Fair! Nice to meet you Claire!" His smile was so pure, so innocent, and it made my heart skip a beat. I've never seen anyone smile like him. Usually, the smiles I see are those of regret, or saddess, ones that say, 'I'm lucky that I'm alive to smile, but at what cost?' Some others I've seen are 'This is a fake smile' and 'Please go away and never talk to me again'. Zack's smile, unlike all the others, said, 'Hi, I'm happy to meet you. I hope we can be the best of friends'.

I asked, "So... Zack, where do you live?"

Zack answered with that smile still on his face, "Wouldn't you like to know!"

That catches me off guard, "What? Huh?"

Zack winked, "It's ok, you'll learn everything about me soon enough."

This conversation went on for hours. I have never felt so close to someone in my life. Zack was so... sweet. He listened to everything I had to say. He actually saw the real me, the little girl who hides behind scary looks and her daddy. The little girl who just wants friends.

Zack said, "Claire, I have to go, but I promise, I'll come for you. Where do you live?"

I breathed, "Cocoon."

Zack considered, then he said, "I don't know where that is, but I'll find it, ok? Will you wait for me Lightning?"

I almost yelled out, "Yes, of course I will wait for you!" Instead, I said calmly, "Sure, I'll wait."

Zack's smile brightened, "Yay! Thanks! Bye!" And the orb flickered out.

My life had changed from there. I never did see or talk to Zack again, but I waited for him, I did. Because I promised him. And also, I wanted him to find me, to take me away from this life of mine...'

I closed my eyes, waiting for the soothing darkness of sleep. The group and I stopped to rest, a few days after we left Snow. Of course, Hope and Vanille were sleeping close to one another against the side of a crystalized wave. Sazh was curled up like a cat on the other side of our 'camp', which was just a cave like structure made when several colliding waves crystalized together. I looked at Sazh, unable to drift into sleep. For an old man, he slept like he was younger. I was leaning against one of the waved, a piece of crystal poking in my back uncomfortably, but I was too tired to move, or even care. We've been travelling all day, trying to get away from PSICOM. It was Hope who stopped us when he passed out from exhaustion. I wanted to keep going so we weren't caught, but Vanille insisted we stop. Even Sazh sided with Vanille. I was never good at arguing with the majority. I usually lose.

I tried to adjust myself so that crystal was digging into my back, but my tired body refused to comply. All I really did was shuffle a little bit. I then sighed and tried to sleep again. As I closed my eyes, I saw the face of a little boy with a great smile. Zack... I haven't talked to him in who knows how long. You'd think that I'd already forgotten him, but I haven't. Or I can't. I don't know which one it is. I guess, like Serah, I'm waiting.

It runs in the family apparently.

So many thoughts run through my mind quickly. Would we save Serah? Save Cocoon? Defeat Ragnarok? Would I live to see another year? Somehow, Zack made his way into my thoughts, disturbing my rant of hows, whys, and coulds. Now, I have a new question to cloud my mind with the rest of them.

Would I ever see Zack, the one that impacted my life just from one conversation?

I try to close my eyes again, this time successful at drifting into the oblivion of the sleeping world.

* * *

Puppytime: Well, another FFVII & XIII fanfiction, and of course, it is of my OTP of OPTs, Zack/Lightning

Zack: I like my part in this. So, I get to be the hero and save Lightning from her life, right?

Lightning: [mumbling] Damn heros...

Puppytime: No exactly! Tune in for more next time!


	2. Chapter 2

A young woman with long black hair and piercing green cat like eyes was looking at a rising horizon. She said to herself, "The barrier is breaking again... The woman's gaze strayed behind her, making her turn and come face to face to a big man with long silver hair. Undaunted, the woman said, "So, ye were planning on sneaking up on me, were ye? Nice try! I'll give ye that."

The man didn't make a move to kill the woman. Instead, he backed away from her and said after he turned, "I sneaked up on you. And I broke through the barrier you so jealously guarded. You're getting weak Fate."

Fate narrowed her eyes, anger spiking throughout her. How DARE he call her weak? She spat, "Like ye'll be able to do anything on this new world! Face it Sephiroth, ye're finished! Just wait, if you think ye're escaping doom by coming here, ye're wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong!"

Sephiroth suddenly burst forward and tightened his hand around Fate's neck, lifting her off of the ground easily. He snarled, "I'm not running anywhere. Do not get me wrong, goddess, I will not be dying anytime soon. I will find her, so don't think that you'll be able to hide her from me. Once I get what I want, I'll be back to finish you off." He slammed her into the ground, then disappeared in a storm of black feathers. Fate rasped and rubbed the appearing red grip on her neck. Sh muttered, "Damn him. Like he'll be able to get to her. She already has a guardian to protect her..." She then got up and looked back at the horizon, "Sephiroth is loose now... Well then! I'll fix this!" She laughed, the disappeared.

* * *

Now, if you're about to wonder, I blame Hope. Yes, I blame him for luring an Alpha Behemoth to our camp. Now, I'm trying to defeat this thing alone, since everyone else was knocked unconscious. I slashed at it's face, then fired Ruin at it. I smirked as I heard the satisfying sound of collapsing, meaning the monster is dead. It melted as I walked away. I stopped at Sazh, then kicked him, "Wake up." When he didn't, I pushed him, Vanille, and Hope into our shelter, then went in myself.

As I sat down, wincing when a wound on my leg stung from the air contact, I sighed, "These people are useless. Absolutely useless." They really were. I had to handle everything all by myself. Now, I would be much better off if I was alone, traveling alone, saving Serah alone, but these morons insisted on coming with me. Now, we're trapped like caged animals.

I sigh again and lay back, trying to avoid disturbing my wounds. Could this get any worse?

Of course it can, and it did.

Outside, I heard the heavy footsteps of someone. I jolt up from my light nap, Blazefire already in my hand. I get up, pain radiating from my wounds at the sudden movement, and I ready my gunblade. Whoever his is, they picked the wrong time to mess with me.

As the person outside approached the entrance, I heard voices. A feminine voice, "Are you sure they're here?" Another voice, this time a male, answered, "I'm positive. Lightning! It's Snow! Come on, don't try and kill me! I have Serah!"

I almost drop my weapon. Serah is with him?! I grip the hilt of my blade, then walk out, limping slightly because of the wound on my leg. When I get out, I'm tackled by a small form, by Serah. I can barely breathe as she muttered, "I'm back, we're safe, we're safe..." I wrap my arms around her body, not trusting myself to speak without bursting into tears. Serah was back...

That night, when everyone was conscious, Snow told us how he saved Serah, "Weirdest thing ever happened, you see. Here I was, trying to get Serah out, and another woman, one with long pitch black hair and green cat eyes just walked up, snapped her fingers, and Serah was free, but unconscious, in my arms! The woman then turned and said to me, 'There ye go, one miracle down. Watch out for the One Winged Angel, ye hear? Stay away from him.' She then walked away and disappeared. It was so strange."

I listened, starting to dwell on the name 'One Winged Angel'. Why was that so familiar? Maybe someone I met while I was in the Guardian Corps went by that. But why worry? Everyone there is weak, as long as I am concerned. But why does that ominous warning scare me so much? Also, for some reason, I feel this has to do with Zack. During our conversation all those years ago, he mentioned that he wanted to join the army, Shinra. Does Shinra have some connection to the One Winged Angel? Maybe some connection to the mysterious woman who saved Serah. Who was she, and what type of power did she have? So many questions I have, but I have none of the answers, answers I will get.

Serah looked at me, a blank expression on her face, like she was trying to read my thoughts.

Knowing her, she probably was trying.

And now judging by her frustrated expression, she was failing.

I never told her about Zack, about our conversation, so of course she'd be a little curious. And, now that I think about it, I don't know what happened to Zack. Where did life take him? Was he even still alive? Was he this 'One Winged Angel', trying to keep his childhood promise to me? All of this turmoil seemed to comr conviently at the same time. There is a connection here, and I will find it.

I heaved myself up a few hours later, seeing that everyone was asleep. I then walked out, needing space to think. With Snow and Serah's arrival, that cave got seriously cramped.

As I walked around, I was cautious, keeping my footsteps light, though that did nothing to mask the click of my metal-soled boots against the hollow crystal. I cursed as another click vibrated through the area, making all the monsters start voicing their own complaints of the loud noises through the sleepy night.

But then I heard something that wasn't a complaining monster, nor the thump of my boots. It was noise of much heavier boots, probably with softer soles than my own, slamming against the crystal. My hand went to the hilt of my gunblade, but it waved through thin air. I looked and saw that Blazefire was back at the camp. How could I be that stupid?! I'm as good as dead now!

No, I assured myself, you still have your training. You can still beat the crap out of whoever is here. With that fact calming me, I lifted my balled up fists, ready to slam them against the person's face. I'm not helpless.

I tensed as I saw the person who has been making those footsteps. The person was male, who was dressed in a black uniform, and he had long silver hair and glowing blue eyes. In his hand was an extremely long sword, one that I didn't stand a chance against.

The man's eyes scanned me, then he said, "Hello Lightning, or should I call you Claire? I've been searching for you."

My blood ran cold.


	3. Chapter 3

I tried to back away, but the man's sword went through my shoulder and pinned me against a wave. I bit back a cry of pain, favoring to glare at the man. He moved over to me, then sneered, "I have found you, Lightning. Fate's warning meant nothing, if the words were not headed."

I froze, then muttered as I tried to put as much distance as I could between our faces, "Y-You're the One Winged Angel?!" I shut my eyes closed when his face came much closer to mine, "Yes, of course, I am Sephiroth, and you, Farron, will bring someone back for me."

I wanted to cry out as he twisted his sword in my shoulder, but I would be strong. I needed to get answers out of him. I growled, "What do you want?!"

"Your power to control the dead. I know you can do it."

My heart stopped. What? Control the dead? Impossible! I growl, " I can't bring back the dead, you bastard!" I then kicked him hard in his crotch. As he bent over in pain, I ripped the sword out of my shoulder and brought my foot down hard on his back. He hit the crystal hard, and I started running. I ran back to camp, but my vision was going fuzzy. I felt the blood from my shoulder run down my arm and my side, so that explained why I feel dizzy. As I got into the camp, I was oblivious to the calls of my name as I fell down unconscious.

* * *

The entire world was spinning, but then it settled into one motion when I saw someone. He was sitting down at a cliff, looking out a rising sunlit horizon. I walked over and sat next to him when he said, "You know, you'd think the sun would be setting, not rising, but it's always rising, never coming up." He looked at me, letting me see his features. He had glowing blue eyes and wild, spikey black hair. On his cheek was a scar shaped like an X, but the scar didn't make him seem scary or anything, though, like many scars do. He wore simple clothes: a black t-shirt, a pair of black pants, and heavy black boots. I looked back at him and I saw a carefree smile. Wait... That smile... Zack...

"Zack? Is that you?"

Zack's smile lit up even more as he suddenly hugged me, "You remembered!"

I was astonished. Where was I? What the hell is going on?

Zack finally let go of me, then resumed what he was saying, "I wish that sun would rise. Just, once. That's all I'm asking for."

I asked him as I stared at the sunrise, "Zack, where are we? What happened?"

Zack frowned, then said, "You're in Lifestream. Basically, you're dead. Kinda. I don't know."

I whipped my head around and stared at him, "DEAD?! WHAT ON COCOON DO YOU MEAN?!"

"That sunrise, what is it doing?"

I blinked at his simple question. I glanced at the sun he's been rambling about, but, instead of it rising, its setting. I mumble, "Its setting..."

Zack smirked and said as he rested his head on his palm, "There's your answer. I guess it's mine too. When that sun completely sets for you, you get to go back to life. Lucky."

I frowned and said as I stared at the quickly setting sun, "What about you? Why isn't the sun setting for you?"

All the humor in Zack's aura disappeared as he said, "I'm dead. I died for what was right, so I have no regrets." He turned to me, "I was so close to getting to you, Claire. So incredibly close! I'm sorry that I never came," he wrapped me in a warm hug, making me feel safe, safe from PSICOM, safe from Sephiroth, more importantly, safe from myself.

Then our time ended. I opened my eyes, aware that it was cold, not warm. I could see the faces of my concerned companions hovering over me, reporting to one another that I was awake.

Instead of being happy I was alive, I curled into a tight ball and cried.

* * *

**Blah,I have no idea what I'm going to do next. Until the future, this is Pupptime, finally trying to finish these fanfic projects.**


End file.
